The Light In The Darkness
by Angel-Chickie
Summary: This fic has been redone in several areas but still is the same in many others. Please read and enjoy.
1. Damsel in distress

This is my 1st Fan fiction so please be gentle.  
  
Ok everyone this is a crossover story between the shows Buffy and La Femme Nikita.  
  
On La Femme Nikita this story is set in Season 4 after the episode Sympathy For The Devil, Ops wants Michael and Nikita to train someone together because that way they will both still be able to go in the field and for some reason Ops is pleased at Nikita's work (as opposed to yelling at her every second) and Birkoff never died.  
  
And the twist you were waiting for, duh, duh, duh, Operations has a daughter and you guessed it, it's Buffy!  
  
On Buffy, this story is set in Season 2 after Becoming, Buffy left Sunnydale a year ago and got kidnapped by Section One who had been watching her for a while because of her fighting potential.  
  
Angel gets brought back from hell just after Buffy leaves thanks to Willow and not only is his soul is now permanent but he is now able to walk in sunlight thanks to Willow, the ring of Moria and a spell, he goes looking for Buffy, and oh yeah Willow is in a relationship with Spike.  
  
*********  
  
Section One  
  
29th October  
  
***Briefing room***  
  
"This is Buffy Summers, she has been questioned twice in relation on two separate incidences regarding murder and as yet nothing has been pinned on her, her boyfriend disappeared the day that she left and he hasn't been seen since, you are going to bring her into Section but be careful she is dangerous all additional information you need to know about her will be uploaded to your panels"  
  
Turning her head to face Michael, Nikita studied the look on his face until he turned his eyes toward her and asked if their was something wrong.  
  
"Wrong, why would you think that?" Nikita asked  
  
"My office 10 minutes" was all he said as he rose from his seat and headed towards his office.  
  
***Michael's Office***  
  
Hearing her knock hesitantly on my door I remember the last mission we went on, a personal mission for Ops, my thoughts were interrupted by her knocking again, I waited until I was finally able to say the words "Come in"  
  
"Michael you wanted to see me?"  
  
"To continue our discussion from the briefing"  
  
"Why would Section want to take her, she's only 17, and what's with Ops saying that she is dangerous, how dangerous could she be she's so little"  
  
"Are you done?" Michael inquired politely knowing that this time Nikita was just venting her frustration.  
  
"Sorry Michael, did Operations say something before in the briefing about her being involved with two murders?"  
  
"Yes, she was questioned about two suspicious murders, Allen Finch was the Mayor assistant, he was found with a hole in his chest with wood in the wound and the other was Ted Buchanan, he was dating her mother, he was found in her house at the bottom of the stairs with his neck broken as a result of being pushed down the stairs, she claimed it was self defence. Kita, Buffy might not look it but she could best us both in a fight without even trying, be careful."  
  
"But Michael if that's true then why am we training her?"  
  
"Because we don't know if she is fully trained, and the reason we are both training her is so that you and I can still go on missions"  
  
Sitting down for a minute to absorb everything just said I turned to Michael, thoughts of him running through my head "Would you like to come to my place from dinner, please"  
  
"what time?"  
  
"Around 8"  
  
"Do you want me to bring anything Nikita?"  
  
"Just yourself"  
  
Getting up and walking to the door I stopped with my hand on the door and said "See you at 8" in a way of parting.  
  
***Nikita's Apartment***  
  
8pm  
  
Nikita hears a knock on the door and instantly recognises the knock as being Michaels goes to the door to let him in.  
  
"Michael I'm glad you could make it" Nikita said while holding the door open for him to enter  
  
"I bought some wine to go with dinner," He said while looking around her apartment  
  
"I made pasta al fredo and the wine will go perfectly with it, thankyou"  
  
"You've changed the place"  
  
"Yeah, I decided that I wanted the apartment to have a colour scheme instead of each wall being a different colour"  
  
"It looks good"  
  
"Thankyou"  
  
Dinner passes and afterwards the couple put on some music and sit down never breaking the gaze they held on each other.  
  
The strains of Chopin waft over them and they relax slightly.  
  
"Michael what does Section want with a seventeen year old girl? This seems odd even for them"  
  
"I don't know Nikita, all I know is that Section has its own agenda and the order to capture this girl came from higher up, not even Operations knows where the orders originated"  
  
"But."  
  
"Don't worry too much about it Nikita all we can do is help her to adjust to her new life in Section"  
  
By now Nikita was snuggled up against him and Michael was happily indulging her while listening to her tell him about the Carnival that was coming to town in a few weeks. Deciding to do something out of the norm Michael suddenly said "Lets go to the Carnival"  
  
"Oh Michael really, you'd come with me?"  
  
"If its what you want"  
  
"It is, oh and Michael do you think we might be able to persuade Walter and Birkoff to come with us? If you don't mind"  
  
"Whatever you want is fine by me"  
  
They sat like that for a while, totally absorbed in each other that the both jumped when a cell phone rang after doing a bit of searching they came up with their cells phones which were both ringing.  
  
"Hello" Nikita said calmly  
  
"Josephine" The voice on the other end said then all Nikita heard was the click ending the phone call.  
  
Michael received a similar summands when he answered his phone he was greeted with the name "Jacques" after hearing his codename he answered "Yes" "The Summers mission is a go as of now"  
  
After ending the call on his cell phone Michael turned around to face Nikita, "I'm sorry our evening didn't turn out as planned"  
  
"It's ok Michael, I was waiting for the call to come"  
  
"What do you mean?" He questioned  
  
"When everything's going good, that's when its time to duck" was the only answer he got.  
  
"Not always" Michael said under his breath as he watched Nikita climb up into her bedroom to change.  
  
"Do you want a lift in?" Michael asked  
  
"Alright" the reply came and Michael heard a bit of laughter in her voice. 


	2. Does the damsel need rescuing?

***Section***  
  
"Alright, you all know the set-up, when we get to The Diner we go in as customers wait until she gets off work then we get her, she is using the alias of Anne"  
  
"Any questions?" Michael finished  
  
When no answer came Michael told the team to get suited up.  
  
Michael and Nikita were going in as a couple; Mowen, Roger and Davenport were going in as friends meeting after work.  
  
***The Diner***  
  
Lily and Ricky sat in the corner of the table debating over their choice of what to eat while Anne looked on patiently.  
  
"Can we get cake?" Lily asked Ricky  
  
"No silly we gotta eat healthy" He said back to her  
  
"Have you got pie?" Ricky asked Anne  
  
"Umm we have a peach pie, can't guarantee there's a peach in it" She replied a bit bored  
  
"We'll take it" Rick said putting his hand in his pocket and drawing out a handful of change and putting it on the table.  
  
"Ok, I'll be back with your pie" Anne said making her way to the counter to fill the order, on the way a guy at one of the tables reached his hand out as he passed and patted her bottom, her first instinct was to turn around and rip his hand away from her bottom but then she remember she was at work.  
  
After placing the order the bell above the door twinkled singling a customers arrival, glancing up she saw a couple obviously in love enter and sit down at table 5, she made her way over to them to give them menus.  
  
"Thank you" said a husky feminine voice, Anne looked up startled as she put the menus down in front of them.  
  
"Your welcome, I will be back in a few minutes to take your order"  
  
Anne walked over to the counter and got the pie for table 2 where Ricky and Lily sat.  
  
"Your peach pie, enjoy"  
  
Anne walked back over to where the new comers sat at table 5 perking up a bit she asked if they were ready to order.  
  
"Two coffees, and a piece of chocolate cake"  
  
"I'll be back with everything in a minute"  
  
Anne again made her way over to the counter and got the two coffees and the chocolate cake ready to be taken over to the table on a tray when she felt a familiar tingle run down her spine, but quickly dismissed the feeling because the only person who caused the reaction was out of her reach in hell, plus it was day even if he somehow got out of hell he would be a pile of ashes by now.  
  
Dismissing him as an hallucination she around and picked up the tray and delivered it to table 5 and asked if they wanted anything else, when both answers came back negative she went and sat down at the counter.  
  
Another twinkle of the bell over the door and Anne turned ready to greet the patron but as she turned she found she couldn't move for their in the streaming sunlight of the doorway stood the one person who was never far away in her thoughts. Angel.  
  
He made his way over to her quickly when he got to her she stood up and would have fallen back down if he hadn't of caught her in a hug holding her steady.  
  
She looked up at the person she had been both wanting and dreading seeing, her Angel the only man in her life who had a constant place in her heart.  
  
"How?" Was the first thing she said.  
  
"Willow she bought me back"  
  
"Sheila I'm leaving I'll be back in the morning" Anne/Buffy yelled out  
  
"Ok see you tomorrow Anne"  
  
"Anne?" Angel questioned  
  
"I didn't want anyone to find me until I was ready to be found, how did you find me?"  
  
"If I was blind I would see you" Angel replied  
  
They walked out the door hand in hand into the streaming sunlight.  
  
Buffy turned around to face Angel "How come your not bursting into flames?"  
  
"Willow did a spell so now I'm immune to it, I can walk in sunlight and I only have to feed about twice a month"  
  
"Really, oh my god that is so cool" Buffy yelled flinging herself into her Angel's arms  
  
"I love you" She whispered to him as he held her close.  
  
"I love you too" He whispered back  
  
"Always?" She questioned  
  
"And forever" He answered  
  
Michael and Nikita were inside The Diner watching the couple talk outside, after paying the bill, Michael, Nikita and the team moved outside in time to see Buffy and Angel turn the corner into the alleyway.  
  
Only one word was uttered by Michael "Go"  
  
When Mowen, Roger and Davenport went towards the door Nikita asked Michael what they were going to do about the man that was with Buffy.  
  
"We take him in" was the only response  
  
Michael and Nikita walked out the door to stand in front of the team, they walked down the alley to converge on the targets "Get them both"  
  
"Tranqs only" he said before they moved in on the couple.  
  
They were startled when they found the alley empty except for a corner where the couple were making out surrounding them Michael called for the van  
  
As soon as Michael spoke the couple broke apart and stood in positions of defence ready to attack at any moment.  
  
"Come with us please" Michael said softly.  
  
"Give me one reason why I should go with you" Buffy replied sassily  
  
"Buffy." Angel said warningly  
  
"If you do as we say we won't shoot you" Nikita said soothingly  
  
Buffy and Angel glanced at each other then Angel turned back to Michael and answered for them both saying  
  
"You can take us if we stay together"  
  
They all got into the van as soon as they all sat down Buffy and Angel were injected with tranquillisers.  
  
"Bifkoff, get Operations on the phone"  
  
"Sure thing Michael"  
  
Everyone sat and waited until Birkoff announced that Operations was on the phone.  
  
"Sir, we have an anomaly"  
  
"What is it?" Operations asked sounding mildly annoyed  
  
"The target had a male with her"  
  
"Bring them both in" Operations said before ending the call.  
  
***Section***  
  
The White Room  
  
"Hello" the soothing voice came from somewhere in the room.  
  
"Where am I?" Buffy answered more then angry to find she was tied down to a bed  
  
"You are I a place called Section One, the most covert anti-terrorist organization on the planet, we fight the terrorists that no-one else can get"  
  
"Can you un-tie me now?"  
  
The voice gave no answer but instead came up and undid the binding holding Buffy to the table.  
  
Rolling of the table I came face to face with a woman.  
  
"Where's Angel?" Buffy questioned.  
  
The woman gave no answer, no indication that she had heard Buffy's request.  
  
"Alright then lets move on to the easy stuff like why I'm here and who the hell you are"  
  
The woman looked amused.  
  
"My name is Madeline, you were recruited because of your abilities"  
  
"Ok I'll bite, what abilities?"  
  
Choosing not to answer that question Madeline said instead "This is where you will train, where you will learn, if after two years you performance is satisfactory you will become an operative for Section One"  
  
"What if I don't wanna be a secret government agent?"  
  
Madeline pulls out a gun "This is your alternative" was her answer  
  
"Why?"  
  
"The world thinks your dead, car accident, this is you funeral" she said handing her photos of the event.  
  
"Do I get a choice?"  
  
"Yes, you can choose to train and become an operative or you can choose a bullet"  
  
"Can I see Angel?" Buffy asked choosing not to answer the lingering question  
  
"Angel?" the woman questioned  
  
"Yeah the guy you brought me in with"  
  
"Ah yes"  
  
"Can I see him, please" Buffy said trying to appeal to Madeline  
  
"I'm afraid not"  
  
"Then I choose door number two, I'll take the bullet" Buffy said sitting down on the gurney she was strapped to before  
  
"As you wish" Madeline said as she raised the gun  
  
The only sound heard was the sound of a cell-phone  
  
Madeline put the gun in her pocket and drew out her cell-phone  
  
"Yes" she said putting the phone to her ear  
  
"Madeline, the Summer's girl is important the agency wants her kept alive"  
  
"Of course, what do you want me to do"  
  
"Allow her request, let them interact for the time being, give them a room together"  
  
"Are you sure about this?" Madeline asked a bit exasperated  
  
"Do as I ask Madeline, that was an order not a request"  
  
"Of course" she said resignedly hanging up the phone.  
  
Turning towards Buffy, she said the only words that Buffy wanted to hear "I will take you to see him"  
  
"Thankyou" Buffy said gratefully 


	3. Huh?

***The Other White Room***  
  
Angel woke up and found himself in a similar situation to Buffy, tied to the gurney.  
  
"There seems to be some confusion over who you are, you don't show up in any database"  
  
Angel gave no reply  
  
The man was about to resume questioning when the outer door opened emitting Buffy and a woman with tall chestnut coloured hair with chocolate brown eyes.  
  
"Angel" Buffy cried out as soon as she got into the room  
  
"Buffy, are you ok?"  
  
"Madeline can you please untie him?" Buffy asked turning to face Madeline with a pout on her face.  
  
"Michael untie him please"  
  
As soon as his arms and legs were free he went to Buffy and pulled her into a fierce hug.  
  
"Did they hurt you?" Angel asked again  
  
"No I'm ok" she replied tearfully  
  
"Why are you crying?"  
  
"Because I though you were dead"  
  
"Oh Buffy, I'm sorry"  
  
"It's not your fault, I jumped to conclusions"  
  
"Where are we?" Angel asked noticing his surroundings for the first time  
  
"Section One" both of them glanced to the speaker.  
  
"The most covert acomm, you will however be at the mission briefing."  
  
"What's comm?" Buffy asked  
  
"It's communications, I'm guessing computers and other advanced technology" Angel answered  
  
"That's right" Michael stated  
  
"I'll take them to meet Birkoff" Nikita said  
  
Michael gave no response just slightly nodded his head  
  
"Is he always like that?" Buffy asked  
  
"Like what, you mean softly spoken and in control?" Nikita asked  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"Well you were in luck today, usually people have trouble getting more then one-word answers from him"  
  
"Ok then"  
  
"This is Birkoff, he's a genius, and he's only slightly older then you Buffy" Nikita said approaching him  
  
"Birkoff" Nikita said  
  
"Whatever it is I'm not doing it," he answered without looking up  
  
"Birkoff I'd like you to meet our new recruits Buffy and Angel"  
  
"Buffy, Angel, this is Birkoff"  
  
"Hey" he answered  
  
"Birkoff did Michael tell you your training them in comm, tomorrow?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
"I've got the mission parameters, can you take them to Michael" Birkoff said holding out a panel.  
  
"Sure" Nikita said going off back towards Michael's office.  
  
"You got anything to eat?" Buffy asked  
  
"Well I do have some Oreo's" Birkoff conceded  
  
Just when Buffy was about to answer, the phone next to Birkoff started to ring  
  
"Yes" he answered picking up the phone  
  
"Birkoff bring Buffy and Angel up to my office please" the person asked  
  
"Of course Madeline" Birkoff answered hanging the phone up  
  
"Follow me" Birkoff said to Buffy and Angel  
  
Birkoff led them into Madeline's office then went back to his station  
  
"Please sit down," Madeline said politely  
  
Buffy and Angel walked over to the two chairs and sat down cautiously.  
  
"For the time being you have been given inter-connecting rooms, I will show them to you shortly"  
  
"Thankyou" Buffy replied  
  
"Buffy Summers, age 17, blonde hair, hazel eyes" she said looking directly at her  
  
"Liam O'Connor, age 21, brown hair, hazel eyes" she said turning her attention to him.  
  
"We know everything there is to know about you two"  
  
'I somehow doubt it' Buffy thought  
  
"Are we allowed to use the training room?" Buffy questioned  
  
"Of course I'll take you there myself" Madeline replied with a smile.  
  
Madeline led them to the training room and then left them to stand up in the observation room.  
  
"Angel you feel up to our usual training routine?"  
  
"Are you up to it, we haven't trained together in a while"  
  
"Let's go"  
  
Buffy and Angel stood to the centre of the mat facing each other.  
  
They began to move through their old tai-chi exercise before moving into attack positions.  
  
For the next three hours they fought as if it were a real battle, pining each other to the mat and raining painful kicks that would leave bruises later.  
  
They never noticed the people gathering outside the door until they silently agreed to have a short rest before continuing.  
  
Looking up they saw Michael, Nikita, Walter, Madeline, some guy with silver hair and a bunch of people they didn't know staring at them.  
  
Madeline turned to Michael and Nikita and told them something.  
  
Then Michael and Nikita moved down to where Buffy and Angel sat.  
  
"Would you mind sparring against us?" Nikita asked  
  
"In teams or separately?" Buffy questioned  
  
"Teams" Michael answered  
  
"Ok, you and Nikita against me and Angel"  
  
"Are we pulling punches or going all out?" Michael asked  
  
"Considering you both have a mission we'll go gentle on you"  
  
"Don't pull punches on our account" Nikita piped up  
  
"Well if you want we can go all out," Buffy said cautiously  
  
"Alright" Michael said  
  
Michael and Nikita walked over to take position on one side of the mat.  
  
Angel and Buffy turned to each other and Buffy asked Angel to try and go a little easy on them.  
  
With a glint of something Buffy couldn't recognise in his eyes Angel agreed.  
  
While Buffy was talking to Angel, on the other side of the mat Michael was telling Nikita to be cautious as they had no idea what there true talents were in regards to their fighting abilities.  
  
Suddenly thinking of something Buffy called out to the other pair "Hey do you use safety words?"  
  
"How do you usually spar?" Nikita asked  
  
"Well usually we finish when one of us is out cold," Buffy said with a smile  
  
"I believe that would be adequate, the mission can always be rescheduled" came Madeline's voice over the speakers.  
  
"Ok I guess no safety words, we go all out, this should be a blast" Buffy said  
  
"Begin" Madeline said over the speaker  
  
Buffy advanced on Nikita and delivered a punch to her midsection that Nikita dodged, Nikita returned a punch to Buffy's side that missed as Buffy stepped out of the way.  
  
"Oh some on your not even trying" Buffy said tauntingly  
  
'Whack!' Nikita's foot connected with Buffy's hip, she fell to the floor but was back up in a moment.  
  
Buffy kicked Nikita's legs out from under her then as she got back up she punched her in the jaw, Nikita countered with a punch to Buffy's midsection.  
  
After half an hour of countering blows Nikita was starting to get tired but Buffy wasn't even sweating.  
  
Another 15 minutes later they stopped mutually and sat down to watch their men fight each other.  
  
The looked like they were dancing, twisting this way and that moving on the balls of their feet.  
  
Buffy looked closely and realised that Michael and Angel were both using a similar style of fighting. They looked as if they had been fighting against each other for years because of the way they anticipated each other's next moves.  
  
Eventually the girls called to them a halt to the fight and went over to their respective males to see what damage was done.  
  
Michael came out of the fight with a bleeding cut above his right eye, upon further inspection Nikita found that Michael also had a few bruised ribs.  
  
Angel had a split lip, a bruise along his jaw line and a few broken ribs also.  
  
Both men had refused to have their injuries checked by someone. So the women turned to each other and said in unison "Let's go"  
  
"See you later 'Kita?" Michael asked cautiously  
  
"I'm busy Michael" Nikita said then walked out of the training room with Buffy not far behind.  
  
At the door Buffy turned around and said to Angel "What she said goes double for me"  
  
The two girls walked out of the room arm in arm.  
  
Buffy invited Nikita over to her room for dinner that night Nikita said she would love to come and said she'd bring dinner and a few videos.  
  
Then Nikita remember that Buffy and Angel had yet to be shown to their rooms so she turned around and told Buffy she would show her where her quarters are.  
  
As soon as they got their Buffy blanched at the site, everything was white no other colour was evident.  
  
"I'm beginning to notice a theme" Buffy said wryly.  
  
"I know, when I lived in Section for the first two years, I did everything I could to bring a bit of colour into my room, I remember when Michael was away for a week he came back and saw what I had done to my room, I painted each wall with about 4 or 5 different colours, Michael called it graffiti I called it art" 


	4. Truth revealed

Thankyou to everyone who reviewed, I might not post for a few weeks because I have to study for exams, believe me I would rather be writing the next chapter.  
  
_______________________________________________________________  
  
"Why were you brought into Section?"  
  
"Most of the people here are criminals, they came from having a life-long prison sentence, Section One faked their deaths and they were brought in to work off their crimes against humanity"  
  
"Oh"  
  
"I was brought into Section from jail, I was convicted of murdering a cop, I didn't do it but it doesn't matter much now, even if I was given a choice to leave I wouldn't"  
  
"Michael?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"Personal relationships between operatives are forbidden, but they allow ours, because of the time they wasted trying to split us up, every time they tried we came closer together not further apart"  
  
"So there was a lot of opposition?"  
  
"Yep, still is at times"  
  
"I've been their, my friends didn't like me dating Angel, they all wanted him out of my life, I ran away and for months Angel looked, he found me on his own, when I asked how all he said was 'if I was blind I would see you' I love him more then life itself and yet no-one understood, don't have to worry about it anymore" Buffy said the last part a little sadly.  
  
"When I was first brought in, Michael told me to think of Section One as my family, to think of Madeline as my mother, I didn't at first but then I realised that Section One was like my family, a dysfunctional one but a family anyway"  
  
"That was what my friends were like, they were like brothers and sisters to me and Giles was like a father, they must have been devastated when I left, Angel said that Giles went back to England shortly after I left, Willow and Xander blamed each other, I just wish I could tell them that it was not their fault"  
  
They sat down for a while, each pondering their own thoughts.  
  
The door to Buffy's room opened, in stepped Angel followed closely by Michael.  
  
"How did the check-up go Angel, anything broken this time?"  
  
"No, but I aggravated an old injury"  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"The one involved with Acathla"  
  
"That was my fault, if I would have waited a few more minutes."  
  
"I could have killed you, when I think of what I did."  
  
"Angel, it was all my fault"  
  
"You were only defending yourself, you were too young to have to go through everything I put you through, I don't blame you for hating me"  
  
"Angel I was selfish if we had never."  
  
"Then Spike would have killed us all"  
  
"You don't know that"  
  
"I lived with him for a while, I know his mind well enough to know what he is thinking"  
  
"But still that doesn't change the fact that it was my fault, I put you through hell"  
  
"Yeah, I been to hell and back again, wasn't the first time, Drusilla did it once just for fun"  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Still have the scars"  
  
"I'm sorry"  
  
"Not your fault"  
  
"We're going around in circles"  
  
"You're right, it's no-ones fault, agreed?"  
  
"Agreed"  
  
After their mutual agreement Angel pulled Buffy into his arms and kissed her breathless, suddenly Buffy broke off the kiss a looked at Angel with shock written all over her face, still standing in his arms.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked  
  
"I just remembered that Nikita and Michael are in the room and they heard everything" she whispered in his ear  
  
"Do you think we should tell them the truth?"  
  
"They'll think we're loony-tunes, I don't think they will believe us"  
  
"True, so what should we tell them?"  
  
"Nothing for the moment at least"  
  
Turning around in Angel's arms, Buffy looked at Michael and Nikita with a smile and said "I hope I can get a copy of that"  
  
"Huh?" Nikita said  
  
"A copy of our performance, you have us on camera"  
  
"What camera?" Michael asked feigning indifference  
  
"The one that's mounted over in the right hand corner of the room near the bed"  
  
"You have a meeting with Madeline scheduled at 5:30 up first tomorrow morning then training with Birkoff in comm" was all Michael said as he and Nikita left the room.  
  
***The next day***  
  
Madeline's Office 5:30am  
  
"Hello, please sit down"  
  
Waiting for a reply when none was given Madeline continued on "Do you know why you are here?"  
  
"In Section or in your office?"  
  
"Which would you like me to answer"  
  
"Both"  
  
"And if I say I will only answer one"  
  
"Then I'd want you tell me why we are in your office"  
  
"I thought you might like to get a few discrepancies cleared up"  
  
Over the next two hours Madeline explained to Buffy and Angel, how and what Section One was, what it was capable of doing.  
  
She also explained what terms like abeyance, cancelled, close-quarter standby and the types of missions they might be expected to perform like cold mission, hot mission, valentine mission, blood-cover etc.  
  
"Any questions?" Madeline asked the shocked looking pair.  
  
"How can you do this? You treat people like pawns in a game" Buffy said, disgust colouring her voice.  
  
"You don't care about the people, it's the end result that Section is looking for, everything else is not important" Angel said knowingly.  
  
"Birkoff" Madeline said turning away from the pair.  
  
"Yes Madeline" came the reply through the intercom sitting on the end of Madeline's desk.  
  
"I'm sending Buffy and Angel down to you, evaluate their computer skills then send me a report"  
  
"The Sanderson mission is about to be debriefed"  
  
"Buffy and Angel are to sit in on the debrief, that is all" Madeline said ending the conversation.  
  
Turning to the couple she told them to go to comm for their evaluation.  
  
Buffy and Angel arrived in comm to see Nikita teasing Birkoff.  
  
"Mr Birkoff, Madeline sent us down"  
  
"Just call him Birkoff, it goes to his head if you call him mister" Nikita said teasingly  
  
"Funny" Birkoff answered sarcastically  
  
"I thought so, I'll be in Michael's office if you need anything" Nikita said before walking away  
  
"So Birkoff, what are we going to be doing?" Buffy asked  
  
"Well, I guess you could do a workup of an old simm, see if you get the mission parameters and everything right, but you'll have to wait because there is a briefing in about 5 minutes and Madeline wants you to sit in on it" Birkoff answered a bit bored.  
  
"Ok" Buffy said a little confused as to what was going on.  
  
"Come on" Birkoff said "We can get to the briefing early" he continued, getting up and walking over to the briefing table and sitting down.  
  
A few minutes later Buffy, Angel, Birkoff, Walter, Nikita and Michael were waiting in the briefing room for Operations and Madeline to arrive and lead the briefing.  
  
Madeline appeared and looked over each of them before saying that Operations was detained at Centre and Madeline would be leading the briefing in his place.  
  
The briefing started as any other, showing the face of their target, two of the tables occupants recognised him immediately but they wisely kept quiet about it, when Michael asked for weaknesses, Madeline looked at Michael and Nikita, she opened her mouth to speak but Nikita beat her to it saying "Let me take a wild guess, he likes tall blondes?" she said sarcastically.  
  
"Yes, the younger the better" Madeline replied  
  
Everyone at the table except Buffy and Angel paled at what Madeline's words meant.  
  
"Madeline, you can't be serious, she's only just arrived, she's had no training for valentine missions, she's had no training for anything" Walter argued  
  
"This came from above us, we have no control over it and yes we are aware that Miss Summers has had no training" Madeline replied  
  
"What does this have to do with Buffy?" Angel growled  
  
"Angel, chill, I'm sure they'll explain" Buffy said calmly  
  
All eyes turned towards Madeline.  
  
"You will be going in teams of two Michael your with Nikita, Angel your with Buffy"  
  
"Why am I going?" Buffy asked  
  
"Miss Summers, you are going to be on this mission to attract the target"  
  
"What do I have to do?"  
  
"Get the targets attention, as soon as you're sure you have it, leave through the back door make sure he's following you, the van will be waiting in the alley"  
  
"So basically I'm the bait?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"I've never been bait before, might be fun"  
  
"I'm glad you feel that way"  
  
And the briefing continued.  
  
At the end Madeline instructed everyone to collect their panels and see Walter for tactical, Michael, Nikita, Buffy and Angel were to see Madeline about wardrobe.  
  
Everyone left the briefing room and each headed off in their own directions.  
  
Buffy followed Angel to his room and sat down on the bed next to him  
  
"Angel I have something to tell you that I'm pretty sure your not going to like"  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked patiently  
  
"Hang on a sec I'm getting rid of the audience" Buffy jumped off of the bed and spotted the camera mounted near the bed, pulling it out she thoroughly checked the room, smashing every camera she found before sitting back down next to Angel.  
  
"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?"  
  
"Ok, but I'm afraid"  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"That you won't love me anymore if I tell you, in fact I'm sure of it"  
  
"Buffy, you know I will love you forever, nothing will change that"  
  
"How can you be so sure?"  
  
"Buffy I loved you from the first time I saw you, and I always will"  
  
"Even after everything I've done?"  
  
"Always" 


	5. The mystery unfolds

Everyone I'm sorry this chapter is so short but to make up for it I will be posting chapters 6 and 7. Thankyou and enjoy the story.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
"The reason I left Sunnydale was because after the fight against you at the mansion I went to see Willow in the hospital and I overheard Xander in her room talking to her."  
  
"Did he say something to upset you, Buffy?" Angel asked, softly.  
  
"Willow asked him if he got to me in time and Xander said he did, Willow said 'did you tell her' and Xander just said no. I didn't have any idea what they were talking about until Willow started yelling. I remember hearing her say 'you didn't tell Buffy, I told you to tell her. I said to hold Angel off till I got the spell done.' I left after that and I haven't looked back since then."  
  
"Oh Buffy, I'm so sorry."  
  
"For what. It wasn't your fault"  
  
"Yeah but I'm the reason you ran away from your friends."  
  
"I ran away because after everything that happened with you, I couldn't take the fact one of my best friends betrayed me and you were gone" Buffy turned to face Angel with tears streaming down her face.  
  
"Oh, baby."  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't wait longer Angel. I'm sorry I ran away I let you down."  
  
"Buffy, you didn't let me down and it's not your fault you didn't wait. You weren't told about what Willow was trying."  
  
"I suppose if you want to use logic" Buffy smiled up at Angel, the sight warming his un-beating heart.  
  
Buffy's smile soon turned to a frown.  
  
"Angel, what are we going to do about Willy?"  
  
"I don't know, but if he lets slip about who you are then.."  
  
"I know I can't let that happen"  
  
"We can't let that happen. I'm here for you, remember."  
  
"But what are we going to do? The mission should be easy enough. I mean Willy is so afraid I'm going to hurt him, he'll probably spill the info in a heartbeat, but, what if he mentions to someone that he's seen me. I'm supposed to be dead remember? Giles knows I'm not dead but the others won't."  
  
"What do you mean Giles knows your not dead?"  
  
"Well, I'm kinda the Immortal slayer."  
  
"Immortal slayer, hmm, I read about that when Giles explained to me what happened"  
  
"Yeah, I don't like my night job and now I'm going to be doing it for eternity"  
  
"Well, you still have me."  
  
"Do I still have you?" Buffy asked afraid of the answer she would receive.  
  
"How can you even ask?"  
  
"Well, its just that girls would line up around the block just to go out with you. What do you mean Giles explained to you what happened?"  
  
"Huh? Oh just about Willow bringing me back from hell and giving me my soul, and then, after a week when I had slowly regained my strength, he told me you had runaway. And, as soon as I was able to, I started to look for you. I've been just about everywhere to find you but I never gave up hope."  
  
"Giles took care of you?"  
  
"Yeah, why is that hard for everybody to understand? Giles forgave me for Jenny and we formed a bond. Not like the one you share with him, but a bond that makes us almost brothers."  
  
"Brothers?"  
  
"Yeah, I even have a few books Giles doesn't and he was so excited when he saw the library at the mansion he had this look on his face I will never forget, like he was going to either cry or hug me. He looked like he was in heaven"  
  
"Trust Giles to have books in heaven. I can almost see him up there with his books, looking down, watching the new slayer saying stuff like (buffy put on a Giles voice) 'in my day I would have found that demon a lot faster' or 'no, the marenstarch text, not the chronicles of evil, you'll never find the demon in there. You're all blithering idiots'"  
  
"I know what I want when I get there" Angel said wistfully  
  
"And what's that?"  
  
"It's simple. I want you to be there or it's not really heaven"  
  
"Oh Angel, I love you."  
  
"Now."  
  
"And forever" she finished for him  
  
Buffy reached up and wound her arms around his neck kissing him until she was breathless.  
  
"Buffy" Angel said moving his mouth away from hers "We better stop soon"  
  
"But I thought you said your soul was superglued on?"  
  
"It is, but Buffy don't forget we might still have an audience"  
  
"Oh great, ruin all my fun"  
  
"Buffy I'm sorry"  
  
Buffy didn't reply. She just frowned and turned away from him  
  
"Buffy, I promise to make it up to you later"  
  
This seemed to cheer her up a bit. She turned back around to face him, saying, "You promise?"  
  
"I promise" Angel bent down and his lips met hers. Sighing, Buffy gave in and lent towards the kiss. Tongues duelling, they each lost themselves in the kiss, and the outside world ceased to exist beyond each other. They were so involved in the kiss they didn't hear the door open or the footsteps approaching them. 


	6. Breifing fun

The person belonging to the footsteps stopped not far from the engrossed couple. The figure cleared their throat in an attempt to gain the couples attention. Buffy whirled around ready to fight the intruding person. Realising the figure was none other then the head systems analyst Birkoff, Buffy dropped her fighting stance. "Hey Birkoff, what's up?" Buffy asked, relaxing now she knew the figure to be non-threatening.  
  
"Well.." He began nervously "Operations wants to see you" He looked up at her with a gaze full of sadness.  
  
"What's wrong with that?" Buffy questioned, unafraid of the answer.  
  
"It's just that this never happens. Operations never talks to the recruits until after they come off probationary status" Birkoff explained.  
  
"Oh! Well when does he want to see me?"  
  
"Well actually, he wants to see both of you now. He sent me to get you"  
  
"Lead the way," Buffy said following after Birkoff. Angel's hand shot out to grab her upper arm.  
  
"Buffy," Angel said warningly, "Be careful."  
  
Buffy gazed up at him with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes and said, "Always am." Angel's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. Buffy relented "Ok, fine, I'll be careful." Buffy sashayed out the door, hurrying in an attempt to catch up to Birkoff. A smirk grew on Angel's face as he stood there shaking his head before following out the door.  
  
***The Perch***  
  
"Buffy and Angel are here to see you sir" Birkoff announced into the intercom positioned above the keypad that opens the door. Birkoff gave Buffy a wary smile before turning around when he heard Gail call his name. The door to Operations Perch opened before Birkoff could tell Buffy or Angel anything. Operations stood in the doorway next to Madeline looking at the pair in front of him, before standing back and letting them enter the Perch. Madeline addressed them when they had just crossed the threshold. "Sit down." "Thanks" Buffy said as she walked in and threw herself into one of the chairs in front of Operations desk. Angel sat down with more grace then you would expect. Buffy moved as if to put her feet up on Operations desk but stopped at the look she received from Angel. Madeline witnessing this silent communication reminded herself to write that little bit of information into their files. They were as good at talking to each other without words as Michael and Nikita were, perhaps even better. "There are a few things we need to discuss before you are allowed to go on tonight's mission. It has been postponed for another hour" Buffy opened her mouth to speak but Angel beat her to it. "What things?" "Well to begin with, we need to see how good you are at recognising danger." Madeline interrupted Operations, "You will both be blindfolded and you will have to defend a dummy from being attacked" "How many people will we be up against?" Buffy asked her curiosity getting the better of her. "There will be 5 opponents. Buffy you and Angel will be fighting together, we want to know if when you are unable to see, you can recognise each other" Madeline ended with a smile. "Go to the training room" Operations said, dismissing them Buffy and Angel were walking towards the training room, when Angel expressed his concern they has forgotten the feel of each other and they would not only hurt each other but fail this test. Buffy turned to him, her eyes saying 'piece of cake.' Angel lifted one eyebrow and Buffy said out loud "You don't think so? Why don't we have a little bet then?" "Buffy." he said, trying to calm her down. "No Angel, seriously you don't think I can do this, then why don't you bet on it? How about if I win, you have to do everything I say for a day and you have to apologise" "And if I win?" Angel asked knowing he was going to loose the bet, he didn't mind at all. "If you win, I will do anything you ask for a day" Angel was fighting with his subconscious over whether to accept the bet or not. Buffy, as if seeing this, leaned over and said, "There are no restrictions to what either of us ask the other to do." Still sensing his reluctance Buffy gave him the look he both loves and hates, the puppy dog eyes and the pouty lip. Angel reclined his head and said, "Alright." Buffy replied with "May the best woman win." They turned the corner and found themselves outside the training rooms. They could see the five people they would be fighting, of which only two they recognised, Michael and Nikita. They were sitting on a bench together, talking while the three other operatives were warming up for the fight. Buffy and Angel walked down to the practise mat and warmed up before beginning to spar with each other. When they began to spar every operative stopped what they were doing to have a look at the two that were making sparring more then an art form. It was almost as if they were dancing to an unheard tune. Almost without realising what they were doing Buffy and Angel had closed themselves off, their world limited to include only each other. 


	7. Memories

Note: everything in italics is a memory. And I'm sorry this took so long to update but I've been sick, and I have VCE to do but the holidays are coming up soon and I will probably be posting at least once a week. Just to clear up some confusion, Angel is Liam. Angel got the identity of Liam from Giles and Willow who together created a fake identity for him just in case. ________________________________________________________________________  
  
Watching the way they sparred, the way they anticipated each others moves as if they were of one mind, dancing together, Madeline thought of the only other operatives in Section that had been know for their ability to communicate with only a glace or a touch; Michael and Nikita. She was easy enough to read but he was another matter altogether. Just when she thought she had him figured out he changed dramatically and everything she though she knew about him was thrown out the window. He though he had everyone tricked, with his blank stare and the words 'I'm fine' but Madeline also knew that Nikita managed to look into his eyes and see what he was feeling. Nikita had managed to do in 5 minutes what had taken her almost 13 years to do: understand Michael. Madeline wondered how long Buffy and Liam had been sparring together and why they seemed unworried when they woke up in Section and were told their friends and family thought they were dead. Their only concern was for each other. Buffy's and Liam's affection for each other was similar to that of Nikita's for Michael, Michael cared for Nikita that was certain but how much he cared Madeline was never able to find out. She doubted anyone would know Michael's thoughts and feelings without him volunteering them which would never happen, not while Operations and her still reigned over Section One. She felt saddened that she had in part helped to keep them apart for so long. At least she was able to convince Operations they worked better together as a team then apart. That conversation would forever be burned into her memory:  
  
"What do you mean you think they should be allowed to be together?" "I just believe that we should stop using valuable operative time keeping them apart when we both know they work better together." "Have you forgotten Madeline what happened when we let Michael and Simone be together? Nikita does not have the same restraint Simone did. Do you really think Nikita will be as calm as Simone was when Michael was sent on valentine missions? Together they will be to busy watching each other's backs, they won't get the mission done. No Madeline, they will not be allowed to be together." "Pau,l don't you remember when we went to Adrian and requested we be allowed to be together? Adrian allowed it, not because of anything she felt personally but because she wanted to give us a chance to prove we could do it. Paul, give them the same chance that was given us" 'Maybe they will be able to handle it better then we did' she thought "What if they screw up? Then what's going to happen?" "At least they would have been given the chance and we both know that Michael won't fail, he will do everything in his power to make sure things go well" "No-one is to know about their relationship, it's to be kept quiet. Have them come to my office" "Thankyou Paul."  
  
'THUMP!' Madeline was brought out of her memories by the startling sound of Buffy pinning Angel to the mat. "Begin the test" came the disembodied voice from the speaker in the corner of the room. The three unknown operatives swarmed in on them, Michael and Nikita were staying back away from the action judging the style in which Buffy and Angel fought the others, to get a feel for the way they moved and fought and to recognise the way they worked with each other. Buffy and Angel thought and moved as if they were one. Paul, Damien and Chris, the operatives Buffy and Liam did not know were transfers from another sub-station to help with another upcoming mission. Paul tried to sweep Buffy's feet out from under her. Buffy jumped to the side and delivered a well aimed kick at Paul's midsection. He tried to use the kick for momentum but Buffy packed more of a punch then he realised and he slumped over clutching his middle, which was when Buffy kneed him in between the legs. Angel looked over at Buffy with fear shining in his eyes, fear that she might knee him in the family jewels as the boy, Paul, was it, was rolling around on the ground. "Come on Angel, you know I would never do that to you" she said exasperated. Angel lifted his eyebrow in a mocking gesture. "Hey, that was self defence, not my fault, and besides, you remember why" Angel looked ashamed at what she said. To Angel bringing up Acathla and the events surrounding the demons almost release into the world, was not something he wanted to remember. It hurt to be reminded of the things he said and did, no matter what Buffy said, Giles, Willow, Cordelia and certainly not Xander would ever forgive him for what he did. Killing Jenny the way Angelus had was a way of getting to Buffy, get everyone wary and tense then strike at the most unexpected time. Of course he never got the chance. He had the chance to send the world to hell in a hand basket and he blew it because as he told Spike upon the return of Angelus 'To kill this girl you have to love her' apparently it was rather difficult for Angelus to kill the girl. He loved her, not in the same way that Angel had, but in his own twisted way he loved her the only way the demon knew how to love her. Both Angel and Angelus had the capacity to love but only Angel used it, Angelus refused to succumb to the urges of the human world, he preferred lust over love, and hate over humanity. Whatever Angel was, Angelus was the complete opposite. Where Angelus was hateful and evil, Angel was caring and compassionate. Angel had had his humanity returned through the curse of a soul and Angelus was still fighting him every step of the way for control of his body. The two entities were at war with each other and unless they could find a peaceful balance they would destroy each other and when that happened both Angel and Angelus would be no more. The body they were both fighting for would be nothing but a shell when they were finished. 


	8. True Identities

After another glace up at the figures fighting in the middle of the workout room, Madeline continued her musings about the similarities between the couples.  
  
Meanwhile all the other operatives crowded into the small workout rooms were amazed at the skill and speed with which Buffy and Angel were currently disabling the "attack" team chosen for the test.  
  
The couple were fighting as if at war, they were merciless and yet at the same time were careful and controlled, when it became clear that Angel could have snapped Paul's neck, and he would have if it were a life or death decision, the others began to fight with more gusto, putting everything they had and then some into the battle.  
  
Buffy was a sight to see, every move she made flowed into the next as if she were dancing instead of fighting. Angel reacted to the moves the operatives made as if he knew what they were thinking before they themselves knew the moves.  
  
***10 minutes later***  
  
The chosen operatives lay on the floor in pain not daring to get up in case the couple came at them again.  
  
Even blindfolded they were a brilliant team helping each other without the aid of words. Madeline had never seen anyone disable a five-man attack team in 10 minutes blindfolded. Not even Michael was that good. She would have to re-evaluate her projections on what to expect from Buffy and Liam.  
  
Madeline also wondered why the girl continued to call Liam by the name of Angel, dismissing it as some sort of gang related thing Madeline made a mental note to delve a lot deeper into their files. She had a feeling that what she had just witnessed was only the beginning of things to come.  
  
Buffy walked towards Angel, still blindfolded, and put her arms around his waist. He brought his head down to hers and she whispered into his ear the words "I love you" before turning around to face who she assumed was Madeline, "Madeline can we please take our blindfolds off, my eyes are going to go all squinty then how am I supposed to be bait?"  
  
"Miss Summers." Buffy ripped off her blindfold  
  
"Who are y." the words died on her lips as she finally got to see the man, only a few people in Section knew him as George, but she knew him as Merrick.  
  
"How did.?" her words trailed off as she hugged the man albeit briefly. He did not return the hug so she let him go.  
  
"As you can see Miss Summers, I am quite alive."  
  
"I know, but how?"  
  
"There is no need to go into the particulars."  
  
Buffy looked puzzled so he spelled it out for her "It is none of your business"  
  
"Can you at least tell me why you have finally let me know you're alive and in here of all places?"  
  
"I came to see if the rumour was true"  
  
"What rumour?"  
  
"The one that you are his wh**e" he yelled in Angel's direction "I thought I had taught you better!"  
  
Angel countered, "Don't you ever call her that, she is my wife" (the Claddagh ring used to be used in place of a wedding ring)  
  
Madeline's eyebrows shot up at that not remembering if she saw that mentioned anywhere in the files, she made a mental note to check then moved her focus back to the conversation at hand.  
  
Buffy chose this moment to interrupt them "How did you even know we were here?"  
  
Ignoring her for the moment he continued his tirade "I've been reading the journal entries Mr Giles has made and was quite disgusted when I noticed his name (he said glaring at Angel) amongst one of his reports saying that his charge was in love, something I can understand, I do remember Pike, but honestly, Miss Summers, out of all the people in the world did you have to love one of their kind?"  
  
Merrick/George, Buffy and Angel all forgot the others in the room as Buffy smiled sadly at the lost love that was Pike and Angel felt saddened at the loss his beloved had suffered.  
  
Buffy reached for his hand and pulling him closer, leaning back on him for comfort before turning around to look at Merrick/George pleadingly  
  
"Have all of you been reading Giles' journal entries?"  
  
"Yes we have, that is after all our right."  
  
Buffy grinned before saying "Did you get to the one from my birthday this year? I'm told it's quite the surprise."  
  
Merrick/George looked at her uncomfortably "Yes we have already reviewed that part although what drove you to pick him out of millions alive?" he said, emphasising the last word.  
  
"You're upset because he's older, or because of his past?"  
  
"We are upset because he is taking advantage of you, using you to stay alive and yes his past has a few of us more then a little upset. Whatever else, we all care about your well being."  
  
"If that's true then why is she here when if she was free she could be saving lives right now."  
  
"And I suppose you would be helping her?"  
  
"He always has" Buffy injected into the conversation.  
  
The intercom on the wall beeped "George, Mr Blaine and his associate are waiting in committee"  
  
"Send him to the training room"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
The intercom beeped out  
  
"You're about to meet an old friend Buffy"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"You'll see"  
  
As if only just becoming aware of their surrounds and the operatives staring at them, Merrick/George asked everyone except Madeline, Nikita, Michael, Operations, Buffy and at Buffy's glare, Angel, to leave.  
  
Merrick/George turned around and looked over those that were assembled as if weighing a decision when finally he spoke "Before Mr Blaine and his associate get here I'm going to have to tell you something so that you are not confused. Now, don't be fooled. No one outside of those assembled here can ever know what I am about to tell you."  
  
Everyone looked on in puzzlement at what this man was implying, then he began "The world is older then you know.." Buffy and Angel exchanged an amused glace.  
  
'This is Giles' favourite part' she thought sadly. 


	9. How the world began

"And contrary to popular mythology it did not begin as a paradise" he continued "For untold eons demons wandered the earth" he paused letting them absorb the information "They made it their home, their..hell, but in time they lost their purchase on this reality and the way was made for mortal animals, for man" he glanced at each of them then continued "All that remains of the old ones are vestiges, certain magicks, certain creatures."  
  
"And vampires" Buffy broke in  
  
"Vampires?" Nikita said in disbelief  
  
"Yes vampires"  
  
"Vampires exist?" Nikita asked uncertain if she was telling the truth  
  
"Angel" Buffy said turning towards him "Can you" she said waving her hand at his face  
  
Everyone except Buffy and George/Merrick (I'm calling him George now) gasped in shock as Angel revealed his vampiric face  
  
"Miss Summers, I hardly believe that you could possibly love something with this face, further more you are not only betraying the human race but your sister slayers" George stated. Angel relaxed his face and it returned to its normal features.  
  
"I quit the council after you 'died' because I didn't want them to run my life again and what happens? I end up with Giles telling me that it's my duty to fight the demons and vampires that I thought killed you, I didn't want to have to fight anymore but then my friends needed help and they've been helping me ever since"  
  
"Ah, yes, your little band of what did you call them? Slayerettes?"  
  
"You can joke all you want but together we have saved the world more times then I can count"  
  
"Without their help you would have failed, they are a weakness"  
  
"That's not true, they are not my weakness. They give me strength to keep fighting and so does Angel"  
  
"Miss Summers, if nothing else, you cannot tell me that he loves you, truly loves you, he has no soul. As long as you work for the council this relationship of yours is forbidden"  
  
"I don't work for you anymore, according to everyone I'm dead now so you can just find the next slayer because I'm not working for the watchers council anymore" Buffy stated, purposely not telling Merrick that Angel in fact has a soul.  
  
"There are no other slayers prophesised"  
  
"Really not my problem, not anymore" (remember this is set after Kendra died so there is no Faith, Buffy still died that first time with the Master but she didn't activate the next slayer. Kendra was a slayer-in-training)  
  
"You're it Miss Summers the only slayer we have"  
  
"Then you should have played nice and for the record you have nothing to bargain with"  
  
"I have Julian"  
  
"Who?" Buffy asked confused  
  
"Your son Miss Summers. After you left him at the church we picked him up. He's with Pike now"  
  
"Son? I don't know what your playing at but I can assure you I don't have a son. I couldn't have"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I would have remembered being pregnant and oh yeah giving birth!"  
  
"The fact still remains Miss Summers.."  
  
"You were my watcher once, you can call me Buffy"  
  
"As I was saying Miss Summers, the fact remains that you are indeed his mother and he is your son"  
  
"I don't believe you"  
  
"What do you remember after the gym?"  
  
"Before or after I blew it up?" Buffy asked impishly  
  
"After" George was quickly reminded of why he was glad he was recalled to Section.  
  
Buffy shrugged, "Pike and I rode around for a while on his bike and then went hunting for demons, vampires anything evil really"  
  
"You don't remember going to LA? You don't remember leaving a two day old child in a church at 3am?"  
  
"I don't remember that because it didn't happen"  
  
"We shall see Miss Summers" George declared  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy asked wary of the answer  
  
"The evidence is about to walk through that door" He said gesturing towards the doors leading from the training room into the adjacent corridor  
  
**************************************************************************** **************  
  
Authors note: I am so sorry that I haven't posted anything in quite a while but I've been sick and I'm studying for year 12 and to top it off I've had a block in my mind stifling my creativity. The only reason I managed to get this out is because I have been at home because of Bronchitis.  
  
~*~ Angel ~*~ 


	10. Explanations abounds

AN: So very sorry about not updating in a very long time. We are currently having my bathroom redone and since we are doing most of the work ourselves, I have had no time to get near the computer let alone update anything.  
  
As you have probably read I have used some elements of both La Femme Nikita and Buffy episodes. In future I will be listing the episode elements are from at the bottom of the fic. So far:  
  
Ch 1 - LFN = Season 4 - Kiss The Past Goodbye  
  
Ch 2 - BTVS = Season 3 - Anne  
  
Ch 9 - BTVS = Season 1 - Welcome To The Hellmouth/The Harvest  
  
**************************************************************************** **************  
  
The assembled group all looked towards the open door waiting for confirmation of the truth.  
  
Seeing Pike walk through the door Buffy felt the hopelessness she felt the night he told her Benny died. Right next to him, holding his hand was a small child. A child that looked exactly like Angel in miniature except with Buffy's eyes. Wearing a pair of blue jeans and a white t-shirt the child looked like someone going to a party.  
  
Pike stopped upon seeing Buffy. Julian looked up at her and says "Hello Mommy" to her. Buffy looks at Angel feeling lost. Julian followed her gaze and looks at Angel saying "Hello Daddy".  
  
Angel begins to tear up, emotions welling through his being; he brings his arms around Buffy from behind, resting his head on her shoulder so he could still look at Julian.  
  
Pike and Julian walked over so they were standing directly in front of both her and Angel. Pike put a hand on Buffy's arm. As Buffy looks at him and smiles, Julian lets go of Pike's hand so he could stand in front of Angel. Julian tugged on Angel's hand, Angel had to let go of Buffy to crouch down and talk to Julian.  
  
Once Angel let go of Buffy's hand Pike pulled her into a hug. As he let her go, she started to apologise for what happened in Vegas and at Hemery High.  
  
Angel picked up Julian and brought him over to Buffy. Her eyes moving over the child she saw the significant features that were familiar because most of them were Angels.  
  
Julian upon seeing Buffy shouted again "Mommy!" before launching himself at her. Buffy was thankful for her quick reflexes as otherwise she would not have caught him before he fell.  
  
As Julian snuggled up in her arms, he put his head on her chest and closes his eyes. Buffy looked to Angel with a startled look in her eyes, pleading to him for help.  
  
"What is it? What's wrong?" He asked urgently.  
  
"You remember how I was with my Gigapet when I sat on it and it broke" she said not asking.  
  
"You said you didn't want children"  
  
"Because they were part of a normal life and we could never have one"  
  
"Well" he began "You now have the opportunity"  
  
"No we now have the opportunity but I don't know what to do with a child"  
  
"And you think I do?" his voice radiated surprise  
  
"Well you are old," she countered with a bit of a smile  
  
"He is only 21 years old" Madeline stated a little bit suspicious about the man before her Angel looked sheepishly at the room "Well actually I'm a little older then that"  
  
"How much older?" Madeline asked, her suspicion growing  
  
Buffy chose to answer, "He's about 240 I think"  
  
"246" Angel amended  
  
Everyone looked at him in confusion  
  
"I was turned when I was 21" Angel said defensively  
  
"Turned?" Nikita asked  
  
"I'm a vampire" he stated matter of factly  
  
Everyone in the room turned to look at him  
  
"But a good one" Buffy said  
  
Everyone turned to her for an explanation  
  
Buffy looked to Angel for permission but instead he begins to tell the tale of how he came to be a vampire.  
  
(The following is taken from Becoming Part 2) 'Galway 1753'  
  
"I stumbled out of a bar, drunk as usual and there was Darla. Standing there looking as beautiful as ever I saw her" He paused to glace at Buffy. She saw him and catching his eye she smiled slightly in encouragement, "I followed her down the lane until she stopped. She told me about all the places she'd been to and I asked her to show me"  
  
Angel felt a hand on his right shoulder blade directly over his tattoo; he turned to find Buffy looking at him with understanding in her eyes.  
  
"I became a vampire that night" He paused looking for the right words before continuing "There are a lot of things I regret having done but nothing as much as I regret turning Drusilla. I drove her to madness, she had no idea what she was doing, she was like a child; the way she talked; the way she acted, but somehow she managed to turn Spike. We became each other's family and for over 100 years we brought terror to everyone we saw. Until one night Dru and I attacked a clan of Gypsy's, it seems they weren't too happy when I killed the favourite of the clan. They cursed me by returning my soul"  
  
"Why a soul?" Nikita asked  
  
"Without my soul I didn't have to think about what I had done, who I had killed but when they cursed me I felt the remorse and pain of all the people I had killed and tortured"  
  
The group was silent. They turned to Buffy to question her as to why she would be with him, when they noticed Julian was asleep in her arms. Passing him to Angel she looked at the assembled group before continuing to tell the tale.  
  
"Angel began helping me from the first night I met him. We started seeing each other and found the trigger to losing his soul after we set it off; with one pure moment of happiness his soul was gone. By the time Willow was able to re-curse him I had to send him to hell" Buffy had to stop as the memories of that day replayed in her mind.  
  
Angel puts his arm around her in a gesture meant to comfort and she found the strength to continue.  
  
"I ran, I couldn't stand to stay in Sunnydale after that"  
  
Angel finished the tale "Willow brought me back from hell a few weeks later and as soon as I was strong enough I went looking for Buffy. I had finally managed to track her down when you all showed up and brought us here"  
  
Julian shifted slightly in his sleep bringing every pair of eyes to the bundle snuggled in Angel's arms. Each was wondering how something so innocent and pure was created as easily forgotten about.  
  
(If anyone watches Becker, I'm making Whislter more like Bob. For those of you that don't watch Becker, Bob is an annoying and dim-witted)  
  
Whistler appeared in the doorway to the training room. Walking in he approached Buffy and Angel whilst still maintaining a safe distance.  
  
"Hey Angel! (Whistler smiled) Buffy (Whistler smiled slightly then backed up remembering her last words to him), how's Julian?"  
  
"How do you know about him?" Angel asked protectively  
  
"I work as a messenger for the P.T.B.," he answered  
  
"The P.T.B.?" Angel questioned  
  
"The Powers That Be. They wanted me to fix your memories"  
  
"What's wrong with them?" Buffy asked getting on the offensive  
  
"We took them from you, the dreams too, after you left Julian at the churches doorstep" Whistler explained  
  
"Why?" Buffy asked  
  
With a heavy sigh Whislter answered afraid that what he said might cause him pain after Buffy hit him, "They needed you to be able to do your duty"  
  
Buffy bean to laugh bitterly "Once again people are making decisions for me. Tell me, what right did they have for doing this? What right did they have to keep my son from me? Where they ever going to let me know about him?"  
  
Whislter looked frightened, as he pleaded with her "Please don't hurt me I like my ribs" Everyone but Buffy looked at Whistler wondering what he meant so he explained "She threatened to pull my rib cage out and wear it as a hat last time I saw her"  
  
All eyes shifted to Buffy  
  
"I was on my way to fight Angel with a sword" she explained a tiny bit ashamed of her words.  
  
**************************************************************************** ************** The episodes used in this chapter were: BTVS = Season Two - Becoming Parts 1 & 2  
  
**************************************************************************** **************  
  
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